LOS ANGELES, June 14, (V7N) – Five-time winners Brazil kick off their World Cup campaign on Saturday against surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco in one of the standout group-stage matchups. On the first day featuring four matches at the expanded 48-team tournament, Scotland returns to the World Cup after a 28-year absence to face Haiti in Boston. Other matches include Qatar vs Switzerland in Santa Clara and Australia vs Turkey in Vancouver.
Brazil has brought in Carlo Ancelotti to try to end their 24-year wait for another global crown. The Italian, making his World Cup debut as a coach, said Friday, "We have a team that can compete with every team in the world." However, Brazil labored through South American qualification, losing six of 18 matches to finish fifth. Forwards Rodrygo and Estevao are out due to injury, while Neymar will miss the opener as he recovers.
Scotland will look to star man Scott McTominay, whose stunning overhead kick in November sealed qualification for their first World Cup since 1998. Haiti will hope to do their turmoil-hit country proud. Australia coach Tony Popovic said his side could "punch above our weight," while Turkey represents a tough early test. Meanwhile, Ghana's foreign minister said the country had protested Canada's visa denial for midfielder Thomas Partey, who faces rape charges in Britain next year.
Co-hosts the United States launched their home World Cup emphatically on Friday, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 in front of a star-studded 70,000 crowd at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles that included Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise. Canada won the first World Cup point in their history by coming from behind to grab a 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
England's preparations to end a 60-year wait since their last World Cup title suffered a blip after some of their equipment was stolen on the journey from Florida to their training base in Kansas City. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said officials "are working to trace where in the United States the items were seized and all individuals who may have been involved."
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